Moulting or lice?

BellaBokBok

Chirping
7 Years
Jul 27, 2012
152
6
81
Australia
I'm not sure if my isa browns have started Moulting or they have lice? There's been a very big drop in egg production and there is feathers everywhere but ive heard that can happen with lice too and I thought they completely stopped laying during Moulting
Help?!
 
Hi, my young girls look like they have lice to. Losing feathers underneath and around the neck, but not all my birds have it. I took 1 to my local vet friend, but all came back clear. I'm hoping when they come to molt it will all grow back, fingers crossed. I'm regularly cleaning and spraying the coop to prevent lice/mites. I even out powder in the dust baths. During molt I believe you do lose egg production.
 
yes during molt most chickens stop laying, added protein is supposed to help get them through faster(not sure it works) if they have a good dust bath, sand,peat,wood ash, DE, that usually takes care of all but leg mits. loss of feathers on the neck and back can be due to roosters; to many or to aggressive
some chickens have a light molt others very heavy. The feathers do grow back, look for feather shafts, coming in
 
You can check for lice and mites- they typically hang out on the back of the neck and the directly around the vent area. Colonies will look like Qtip fuzz at the base of the feathers. You will need to treat them if it is lice or mites. I typically treat during a molt anyway so that the molt and the egg withdrawal from the Ivermectin coincide. That is, by the way, the only preventative medication I administer and primarily because I have an issue around here with all the wild birds. Twice yearly, in the late fall and again in the Spring.
 
You can check for lice and mites- they typically hang out on the back of the neck and the directly around the vent area. Colonies will look like Qtip fuzz at the base of the feathers. You will need to treat them if it is lice or mites. I typically treat during a molt anyway so that the molt and the egg withdrawal from the Ivermectin coincide. That is, by the way, the only preventative medication I administer and primarily because I have an issue around here with all the wild birds. Twice yearly, in the late fall and again in the Spring.

How do you use Ivermectin? I have seen it in our feed store, but it does not have directions for Poultry. Do you use the Pour on (Cattle) or the drench? Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
 
I use the pour on- My fully grown BCM rooster gets 6 or 7 drops. My young d'uccle pullets (2 months old) get 2. My BCM hens get 4. It's not precise but be careful not to get them too much. It's essentially poison.
 
Thanks!
bow.gif
 
How do you use Ivermectin? I have seen it in our feed store, but it does not have directions for Poultry. Do you use the Pour on (Cattle) or the drench? Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Ivermectin does not treat feather lice, I know I tried it! Get yourself some poultry dust, not DE (also tried that).



 
Last edited:
Thank you... I was just going to drop $50 on Ivermectin!
I did a massive SPRING cleaning of the Coop on Sunday.... Literally SCRUBBED & washed Celings, FLooor, Walls, Roosts, Nest boxes & everything that was not NAILED down w/ Javex.
Dusted them ALL last night "shake & bake"style in a bag with full of DE & Poultry Dust. They were not impressed!
How soon before I should RE-do this procedure? Not sure of a Feather Louse's "turn around" reproduction capacities...
sickbyc.gif
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom